Joi Partain has made it her life's goal to help others survive

Published: Saturday, December 1, 2012 at 7:22 p.m.

Last Modified: Saturday, December 1, 2012 at 7:22 p.m.

The picture speaks volumes about survival and compassion. Brought together through tragedy, three domestic-violence victims stand together holding posters, each sending a message to a fourth victim who was clinging to life in a hospital.

It was Oct. 21 when a photographer snapped the picture of the three women who had gathered in support of Megan Kimbrough, a 26-year-old Lakeland woman who had been doused with gasoline and set ablaze on Aug. 4, allegedly by her estranged husband.

At the time of the photograph, domestic violence victims had gathered in support of Kimbrough, who had endured numerous skin grafts while doctors tried to fend off a dangerous infection. She was critical.

Standing in the middle of the photograph is Joi Partain, 25, smiling. Partain survived a golf club attack in Ocala more than three years ago that blinded her left eye and shattered most of the bones in her face and arms.

Partain holds a poster with two hearts drawn across the top and the words: “You're not alone. No matter what, you're beautiful.”

To her right, Tampa resident Audrey Mabrey, 30, has a slight grin, despite the burn scars across her face from a 2009 attack. That was when she was beaten with a hammer, doused with lighter fluid and set ablaze with a candle. Like Kimbrough, she too was burned over 80 percent of her body.

On her poster, she wrote: “I believe in you, Megan. XOXO Audrey.”

To Partain's left is Melissa Dohme, 21, who was allegedly stabbed 32 times in a Clearwater park in January. Her message simply states: “You're a survivor, and a beautiful one!”

While these three women miraculously survived, Kimbrough — with her mother by her side — died on Nov. 10 from an infection after 12 skin grafts.

But for Partain, now a domestic violence advocate in Central Florida, the battle continues. She has said for a year now that her life's mission is helping victims get out of violent relationships — out so they do not have to endure the pain and suffering that many victims face each day.

■ ■ ■

It's been a long road for Partain, who had given up hope at 2 a.m. on June 14, 2009 in a small Ocala rental home.

After hours of arguing with her boyfriend of only two months, Partain was lying in bed. She rolled over toward the wall to avoid the fight and to go to sleep. Suddenly, after a few seconds of silence, the violence began.

Standing over her was Jonathan Pearson, then 26, her boyfriend at the time. He had retrieved two golf clubs and began swinging: first a driver to Partain's face about 15 times, as well as her arms as she tried to fend off the bludgeoning, until it snapped in half; and then with a putter.

Partain played opossum, lying motionless on a blood-soaked mattress. She was still conscious. All she could do was focus on staying alive for her baby, Page, who was in a nearby room.

Partain's roommate ended up saving her life, calling 911 to bring paramedics to the bloody scene. Ocala police later charged Pearson, who later pleaded guilty, with attempted murder.

Last December, Partain shared with the Star-Banner a horrifying picture taken moments after the attack: She sat upright in the ambulance, an oxygen mask strapped over her bludgeoned face, blood dripping over her broken arms.

She would later have dozens of reconstructive surgeries. She lost her left eye.

Partain has made great strides in the healing process since last December's interview with the Star-Banner. Last year, she vowed to begin helping others who have endured domestic violence.

And since making that promise, Partain has started her own website: www.empoweredandbeautiful.com.

The website is designed to give domestic violence victims a place to email others who have been abused. Since it started early this year, Mabrey and Dohme — the two victims pictured with Partain — agreed to share their stories.

Partain is now dating an understanding man, cares for her 4-year-old daughter and also has custody of her half-sister's children, ages 4 and 9.

In just a year, Partain has grown from an insecure and untrusting woman to a confident and demanding advocate. She says her life's work is now helping domestic violence victims.

“It's about them now,” she said.

■ ■ ■

Partain's website is a collection information and stories from victims, designed to attract women who may be in a violent relationship. She hopes the site will save lives.

“Many victims are not comfortable talking to people in person, scared that something will happen to them,” Partain said last week. “This gives them a place to go, a place to chat online about their situation.”

Empowered and Beautiful also provides encouragement to sexual violence victims.

“Our goal is to make a difference in the community, bring awareness, and to bring a little hope to individual lives around us,” she wrote on the site. “We are women and need to take a stand. Be the voice for victims everywhere!”

Monica Bryant, coordinator of family violence prevention at the Marion County Children's Alliance, said Partain's movement is welcomed.

“This is another opportunity to create more awareness about domestic violence and keep the issue in the forefront,” she said. “Just because we don't talk about it won't make it go away.”

In Marion County this year there have been 11 domestic violence deaths — eight women and three men, according to the Ocala Police Department and Marion County Sheriff's Office.

Marion had 25 domestic violence deaths between 2007 and 2011.

Marion County had a rate of domestic violence in 2010 that was 50 percent higher than the state average. That year there were nearly 3,000 local domestic violence cases. That did not include approximately 3,500 adults and children who did not file complaints and sought shelter, food and protection at the Ocala Domestic Violence/Sexual Assault Center.

From 2007 to 2011, the average annual number of domestic violence cases reported in Marion was 2,600 per year.

Judy Wilson, CEO of the local shelter, said in an October interview that 20,223 victims called or visited the shelter between 2007 and 2011.

■ ■ ■

Even as Partain answers calls for a domestic abuse hot line in Central Florida, and speaks to victims as an advocate, the strong-willed woman has launched another mission.

She is now pushing for a federal law, or at the very least state legislation, to protect domestic violence victims who are taking pain medication.

Partain said she has created a petition “to make it unlawful to discuss a domestic violence case with a victim while the victim is under heavy medication, post trauma shock, or in recovery.”

“This will allow the victim a clear and sound mind to determine the best course of action for their case,” she noted.

Partain contends her attacker was sentenced to a reduced prison term of 15 years for attempted murder “because an arrangement was reached between me and his public defender.”

Though she holds no ill will toward prosecutors or public defenders, she believes that victims should be in a sound mind before being approached about sentences for their attackers. Many victims will agree to most anything as long as the attacker goes to prison and the situation goes away, Partain noted.

Last year, one of her goals was to get back into modeling for 1950s-style photographs and provide a secure life for her daughter. Today she wants to fight for the victims of domestic violence.

“I want to be there for anyone who is going through something like what I did,” she said. “We need to stand together and stop the abuse.”

Contact Joe Callahan at 867-4113 or at joe.callahan@starbanner.com. Follow him on Twitter at JoeOcalaNews.

<p>The picture speaks volumes about survival and compassion. Brought together through tragedy, three domestic-violence victims stand together holding posters, each sending a message to a fourth victim who was clinging to life in a hospital.</p><p>It was Oct. 21 when a photographer snapped the picture of the three women who had gathered in support of Megan Kimbrough, a 26-year-old Lakeland woman who had been doused with gasoline and set ablaze on Aug. 4, allegedly by her estranged husband.</p><p>At the time of the photograph, domestic violence victims had gathered in support of Kimbrough, who had endured numerous skin grafts while doctors tried to fend off a dangerous infection. She was critical.</p><p>Standing in the middle of the photograph is Joi Partain, 25, smiling. Partain survived a golf club attack in Ocala more than three years ago that blinded her left eye and shattered most of the bones in her face and arms.</p><p>Partain holds a poster with two hearts drawn across the top and the words: “You're not alone. No matter what, you're beautiful.”</p><p>To her right, Tampa resident Audrey Mabrey, 30, has a slight grin, despite the burn scars across her face from a 2009 attack. That was when she was beaten with a hammer, doused with lighter fluid and set ablaze with a candle. Like Kimbrough, she too was burned over 80 percent of her body.</p><p>On her poster, she wrote: “I believe in you, Megan. XOXO Audrey.”</p><p>To Partain's left is Melissa Dohme, 21, who was allegedly stabbed 32 times in a Clearwater park in January. Her message simply states: “You're a survivor, and a beautiful one!”</p><p>While these three women miraculously survived, Kimbrough — with her mother by her side — died on Nov. 10 from an infection after 12 skin grafts.</p><p>But for Partain, now a domestic violence advocate in Central Florida, the battle continues. She has said for a year now that her life's mission is helping victims get out of violent relationships — out so they do not have to endure the pain and suffering that many victims face each day.</p><p>■ ■ ■</p><p>It's been a long road for Partain, who had given up hope at 2 a.m. on June 14, 2009 in a small Ocala rental home.</p><p>After hours of arguing with her boyfriend of only two months, Partain was lying in bed. She rolled over toward the wall to avoid the fight and to go to sleep. Suddenly, after a few seconds of silence, the violence began.</p><p>Standing over her was Jonathan Pearson, then 26, her boyfriend at the time. He had retrieved two golf clubs and began swinging: first a driver to Partain's face about 15 times, as well as her arms as she tried to fend off the bludgeoning, until it snapped in half; and then with a putter.</p><p>Partain played opossum, lying motionless on a blood-soaked mattress. She was still conscious. All she could do was focus on staying alive for her baby, Page, who was in a nearby room.</p><p>Partain's roommate ended up saving her life, calling 911 to bring paramedics to the bloody scene. Ocala police later charged Pearson, who later pleaded guilty, with attempted murder.</p><p>Last December, Partain shared with the Star-Banner a horrifying picture taken moments after the attack: She sat upright in the ambulance, an oxygen mask strapped over her bludgeoned face, blood dripping over her broken arms.</p><p>She would later have dozens of reconstructive surgeries. She lost her left eye.</p><p>Partain has made great strides in the healing process since last December's interview with the Star-Banner. Last year, she vowed to begin helping others who have endured domestic violence.</p><p>And since making that promise, Partain has started her own website: www.empoweredandbeautiful.com.</p><p>The website is designed to give domestic violence victims a place to email others who have been abused. Since it started early this year, Mabrey and Dohme — the two victims pictured with Partain — agreed to share their stories.</p><p>Partain is now dating an understanding man, cares for her 4-year-old daughter and also has custody of her half-sister's children, ages 4 and 9.</p><p>In just a year, Partain has grown from an insecure and untrusting woman to a confident and demanding advocate. She says her life's work is now helping domestic violence victims.</p><p>“It's about them now,” she said.</p><p>■ ■ ■</p><p>Partain's website is a collection information and stories from victims, designed to attract women who may be in a violent relationship. She hopes the site will save lives.</p><p>“Many victims are not comfortable talking to people in person, scared that something will happen to them,” Partain said last week. “This gives them a place to go, a place to chat online about their situation.”</p><p>Empowered and Beautiful also provides encouragement to sexual violence victims.</p><p>“Our goal is to make a difference in the community, bring awareness, and to bring a little hope to individual lives around us,” she wrote on the site. “We are women and need to take a stand. Be the voice for victims everywhere!”</p><p>Monica Bryant, coordinator of family violence prevention at the Marion County Children's Alliance, said Partain's movement is welcomed.</p><p>“This is another opportunity to create more awareness about domestic violence and keep the issue in the forefront,” she said. “Just because we don't talk about it won't make it go away.”</p><p>In Marion County this year there have been 11 domestic violence deaths — eight women and three men, according to the Ocala Police Department and Marion County Sheriff's Office.</p><p>Marion had 25 domestic violence deaths between 2007 and 2011.</p><p>Marion County had a rate of domestic violence in 2010 that was 50 percent higher than the state average. That year there were nearly 3,000 local domestic violence cases. That did not include approximately 3,500 adults and children who did not file complaints and sought shelter, food and protection at the Ocala Domestic Violence/Sexual Assault Center.</p><p>From 2007 to 2011, the average annual number of domestic violence cases reported in Marion was 2,600 per year.</p><p>Judy Wilson, CEO of the local shelter, said in an October interview that 20,223 victims called or visited the shelter between 2007 and 2011.</p><p>■ ■ ■</p><p>Even as Partain answers calls for a domestic abuse hot line in Central Florida, and speaks to victims as an advocate, the strong-willed woman has launched another mission.</p><p>She is now pushing for a federal law, or at the very least state legislation, to protect domestic violence victims who are taking pain medication.</p><p>Partain said she has created a petition “to make it unlawful to discuss a domestic violence case with a victim while the victim is under heavy medication, post trauma shock, or in recovery.”</p><p>“This will allow the victim a clear and sound mind to determine the best course of action for their case,” she noted.</p><p>Partain contends her attacker was sentenced to a reduced prison term of 15 years for attempted murder “because an arrangement was reached between me and his public defender.”</p><p>“I am disturbed by this agreement because I don't remember ever discussing it, let alone signing it,” she noted.</p><p>Though she holds no ill will toward prosecutors or public defenders, she believes that victims should be in a sound mind before being approached about sentences for their attackers. Many victims will agree to most anything as long as the attacker goes to prison and the situation goes away, Partain noted.</p><p>Last year, one of her goals was to get back into modeling for 1950s-style photographs and provide a secure life for her daughter. Today she wants to fight for the victims of domestic violence.</p><p>“I want to be there for anyone who is going through something like what I did,” she said. “We need to stand together and stop the abuse.”</p><p><i>Contact Joe Callahan at 867-4113 or at joe.callahan@starbanner.com. Follow him on Twitter at JoeOcalaNews.</i></p>